Carton

ABSTRACT

A package for preserving perishable products, such as food and flowers, in which the product is in .[..[.an impermeable.]..]. .Badd.a .Baddend.container which has been purged, after the product is in the container, by forcing an inert gas through the container. The composite package includes the container enclosed in an inherently stable carton.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment comprises the steps of inserting a flexible container orenvelope of the type that includes sealable tubing into an inherentlystable carton, and placing the product to be packaged in the container.The container is sealed and then evacuated of air through the tubing.The container is then pressurized with inert gas by forcing the gasthrough the tubing. The pressurized container is then sealed by sealingthe tubing.

In carrying out the method, I prefer to use two flexible, sealabletubes. The envelope is purged by forcing an inert gas through one of thetubes and dispelling the air through the other tube. After the purge iscompleted, the tubes are sealed.

One embodiment of the package comprises an inherently stable cartonwhich supports tubing extending through the walls thereof. A flexiblesealable container, having hermetically connected tubing, is disposed inthe carton, the tubing being supported by the carton.

In a second embodiment, the carton walls terminate in a containerreceiving opening and a cover is adapted to be slid into coveringrelationship with the opening. The cover has walls, extending in onedirection, that are adapted to surround the container walls. The coverwalls include a slot extending from the edge and parallelly of the onedirection, the slot being in alignment with the extending sealabletubing.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the invention areillustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the package of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 1, the stablecarton being shown with the top open;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 1, the viewbeing taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 1,the view being taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1,the package includes an inherently stable carton 11. The carton 11 ispreferably of the conventional cardboard crating type and includesclosing flaps 12 extending upwardly from the sides thereof. The carton11 includes an inlet opening 13 juxtaposed one side and the top and anoutlet opening 15 juxtaposed the opposite side and the bottom.

A flexible, plastic .[..[.i.e., impermeable,.]..]. container 17 isdisposed in the carton 11. The container 17 includes flaps 18 forming anopening 19 for accepting perishable products such as fruits, vegetables,meats and flowers, apples 21, being illustrative. Plastic tubes 23 and25 extend from the container. The tubes 23 and 15 are alignable with andextend through the inlet and outlet openings, 13 and 15, respectively,and are supported by the walls forming the openings of the container.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the carton 11 is of thesame general configuration as that shown in FIG. 1, except there are noflaps 12. Rather, a cover 29 is provided for covering the container 17receiving opening formed by the walls of the carton 11. The cover 29 isshown in broken lines, removed from the carton 11. The cover 29 includeswalls 33 that surround the walls of the carton 11 and is adapted to beslidably extended thereover. One wall of the cover 29 includes slots 35and 37 for accepting the tubes 23 and 25, respectively. Thus, the cover29 can be slipped over the carton 11 and secured into covering positionwith the tubes 23 and 25 extending therethrough and accessible to beconnected and sealed.

Shipping cartons 11 of the type depicted in FIG. 1, are generallysupplied to the packager in a collapsed form. Thus, when it is desirableto package the produce 21 for shipping or storage, the carton 11 iserected as shown in FIG. 2. The container 17 is then placed in thecarton through the top opening and the tubes 23 and 25 are extendedthrough the inlet and outlet openings 13 and 15, respectively. Theproduce herein shown at 21, is then inserted through the opening 19 inthe container and the opening is sealed. In the embodiment shown in FIG.1, the envelope 17 is plastic and the opening 19 is sealed by pressingthe flaps 18, forming the opening 19, together with conventional heatsealing mechanism. The flaps 12 are then closed and taped in aconventional manner.

Any suitable method can be employed for removing the air from thecontainer and substituting an inert gas. I prefer to connect a hose (notshown) to a supply of inert gas, such as argon or nitrogen, and to thetube 23. The inert gas is then released into the container 17 throughthe tube 23 and the inert gas and air mixture is exhausted through theoutlet tube 25.

It is noted that the inlet tube 23-outlet tube 25 arrangement depicted,effects a very effective flow pattern. This flow pattern is depicted inFIG. 2 by arrows. The incoming gas enters the container 17 from thefront and is propelled generally along and parallel to the side nearestthe inlet tube 23. When the gas reaches the back wall of the container17, it is deflected inwardly from the side and passes generally alongthe back wall until it reaches the side nearest the outlet tube 25. Thegas is again deflected and is directed back toward the front of thecontainer 17 and will be forced downwardly to pass out the outlet tube25. Thus, flow is assured throughout the container 17 and no air pocketswill be left uncirculated when the purge is completed.

The inert gas purge is continued for a time sufficient to driveessentially all of the air out of the container 17. When the desiredlevel of inert atmosphere is reached, approximately 99.8%, the purge isdiscontinued and while the container 17 is still pressurized, the tubes23 and 25 are sealed. Sealing is preferably effected by cutting of theplastic tubes 23 and 25 with hot scissors, thereby severing and sealingthe tube simultaneously. Since both tubes 23 and 25 extend from the sameside of the container 11, they are readily accessible to the work duringthe packaging.

The remaining portion of the tubes 23 and 25 are then preferably tuckedback into the carton 11. If desirable, the openings 13 and 15 may thenbe covered in any conventional manner. The packaged produce 21 is thenready for shipment and is maintained in an inert atmosphere. Spoilageand decaying of the produce is obviated since essentially all the oxygenhas been purged from the container 17 and photosynthesis is suspended.Pressurization of the container 17 is preferred since if the oxygen wereexpelled and a vacuum left in the container, there would be greaterdanger of oxygen seepage into the container. The lack of oxygen willcause any animal life included in the container 17 to quickly suffocateand the produce 21 will be protected from insect damage.

The above described method is preferred since it is generally much moreeconomical to force a purge through the container 17 to purge the airtherefrom, rather than to evacuate the air by vacuum. However, if itwere desirable to evacuate the air by pulling a vacuum, only one tube,as for instance 23, would be necessary. The air could be evacuated fromthe container 17 through the tube 23 and the container 17 could then bepressurized by pumping the inert gas in through the tube 23. The tube 23would then be sealed in the manner described above.

Referring now to packaging the produce 21, in the package embodimentshown in FIG. 5, the same general procedure, as that first described, isfollowed, except that, rather than closing the flaps 12, the cover 29 isslid into position and secured, as by taping. The container 17 is thenpurged and the tubes 23 and 25 sealed as described above.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the packages hereindescribed, provide simple, effective and economical means of packagingperishable produce, meats and flowers.

I claim:
 1. An inherently stable package for shipping and preservingperishable products such as food and flowers, said packagecomprising:(A) an inherently stable carton having:(1) two openings fortubes; (B) a flexible and sealable container having:(1) a sealableproduct opening, (2) a permanently sealable inlet tube, for purging gas,hermetically connected with the container, said tube being aligned withand extendable through one of the said openings in the carton forconnecting the same with a source of purging gas, (3) a permanentlysealable outlet tube hermetically connected with the container, saidlatter tube being aligned with and extendable through the other of saidopenings in the carton.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1,characterized in that both openings are in the same side of the carton.3. A combination as defined in claim 1, characterized in that theopenings are positioned so that the incoming gas is directed by theinlet tube from one side of the carton and toward the opposite side andthen directed toward the outlet tube spaced from the incoming gas..Iadd.
 4. An inherently stable package for shipping and preservingproducts such as food and flowers, said package comprising:(A) wallsforming an inherently stable carton; (B) a flexible and sealablecontainer having:(1) a sealable product opening, (2) a permanentlysealable inlet tube for purging gas, hermetically connected with thecontainer and extending through a wall of said carton for connecting thesame with a source of purging gas, (3) a permanently sealable outlettube hermetically connected with the container, said latter tubeextending through a wall of said carton;said tubes being positioned withrespect to the container so that the incoming gas is directed by theinlet tube to one side of the container, and rearwardly, then along therear of the container, and then along the opposite side of the containerand toward the outlet tube. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 5. A combination as definedin claim 4, characterized in that both tubes extend through the samewall of the carton. .Iaddend.